Rotary engine.



.No.- 880,123; PATEN' TED SEPT. 4, 1906.

- E. J. WEEKS.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 2, 1906.-

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w i/ s PATENTED SEPT. 4, 1906.

E. J. WEEKS. ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEBL2, 1906.

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EDWARD J. WEEKS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR OF FORTY ONE- HUNDREDTHCTO J. VEIT, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ROTARY ENGINE.

Application filed February 2, 1906.

T0 alt whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDWARD J. VEEKS, a citizen of the United States,residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rotary Engines, ofwhich the following is a specification.

In motors of the rotary type as heretofore constructed difliculty isexperienced in maintaining a tight joint between the operating parts andin preventing the consequent waste of power and the backlash due toleakage of the motivemedium. Moreover, the developed power available foreffective work does not represent the units of force expended foroperatingthe engine by a very material margin.

This invention provides an engine of exceedingly simple construction,light, compact, durable, and capable of converting a maximum percent ageof the power into working force.

The engine comprises, essentially, three parts a hub, a cylinder, and apair of pistonrings, the latter haying pistons or abutments extendedinward into the space formed between the rings therefrom in alternationand dogs or clutch elements cooperating with the piston-rings forsecuring them to the hub and cylinder, respectively, in successiveorder, whereby the pistonrings receive a step-bystep movement which isimparted to the driven part, whether the hub or cylinder.

The invention consists of the novel features and details of constructionwhich hereinafter will be more particularly set forth, illustrated, andfinally claimed.

In the drawings hereto attached and forming a part of the specification,Figure 1 is a perspective view of a rotary engine embodying theinvention, a portion of the cylinder or casing being broken away and themountings and pipe connections being omitted. Fig. 2 is a centrallongitudinal section ofthe engine on a larger scale. Fig. 3 is a sectionon the line 3 3 of Fig. 2, showing one of the piston-rings in lockedengagement with the cylinder or casing and the other piston-ring aboutto make locked engagement with the hub. Fig. 4 is a section on the line4 4 of 3, showing the piston-rings having a different relativearrangement. Figs. 5 and Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 4, 1906 Serial No. 299.221.

6 are sectional views similar to Fi s. 3 and 4, showing differentpositions of tlie pistonrings. Fig. 7 is a detail perspective viewof thehub. Fig. 8 is a detail perspective View of the cylinder or casing. Fig.9 is a detail perspective view of a piston-ring, showing the clutchelements disconnected therefrom and arranged opposite their respectiveseats or openings in the pistons or abutments. Fig. 10 is a front viewof the engine, on a smaller scale, illustrating the mountings thereforand the inlet and outlet for the motive medium. Fig. 11 is an enlargedview showing the clutch engaged with the cylinder. Fig. 12 is a detailview of a modification, showing independent clutch elements between thepiston-ring and the hub and cylinder. Fig. 13 is a cross-section on theline .2 2 of Fig. 12.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the followingdescription and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the samereference characters.

The hub 1 receives the piston-rings 2 and 3, which are spaced apart andprovided with pistons or abutments 4 and 5, respectively, of a length toextend across the space formed between the two rings and of a widthdepending upon the size of the engine to leave a space between thepiston corresponding to the predetermined step-by-step movement thereof.The number of pistons or abutments may vary according to the capacityand size of the engine, each piston-ring being provided with a likenumber of abutments. The piston-rings are provided with dogs or clutchelements 6, constructed to alternately interlock with the cylinder andhub in the operation of the engine. The clutch may be convenientlyarranged so as to obtain the bestresults, and in order to admit of thepiston-rings being of a minimum thickness it has been found advantageousand economical to apply the clutch elements 6 to the abutments orpistons by snugly fitting them in openings or seats 7 thereof for freeradial movement. This construction provides a clutch dog or element foreach piston or abutment and makes provision for a maximum amount ofgripping-surface between the said dogs and the hub or cylinder. The dogsor clutch elements 6 are longer than the radial distance between theinner and outer surfaces of the pistons or abutments, so as to projectbeyond the same and make interlocking engagement with either the hub orthe cylinder, as shown most clearly in the several cross-sectionalviews.

The cylinder or casing 8 snugly encircles the piston-rings and pistonsand is provided upon its inner side with a series of grooves or seats 9to receive the outer ends of the dogs or clutch elements 6 when ininterlocking engagement therewith. The ends of the c linder are closedby heads 10, forming a part of or connected to the hub 1. Obviously thesaid heads may be connected to or formed with the cylinder and madeloose with reference to the hub so long as provision is had forindependent movement of the hub and cylinder, while at the same timemaintaining a steam-tight closure at the ends of the cylinder andbetween said ends and the corresponding portions of the hub.

The hub 1 is hollow and provided with a plurality of passages or ducts11 and 12, the latter, constituting inlets for the motive medium and theformer providing outlets for said medium after it has spent its force indriving the engine. Ports 13 are provided in the sides of the hub andcommunicate witn the inlet passages or ducts 12, and other ports 14 aresimilarly formed in the sides of the hub and are in communication withthe exhaust-passages 11. The inlet-ports are considerably smaller thanthe exhaust-ports and are disposed so as to direct the motive mediumbetween the two sets of pistons or abutments when moving forward at theinitial stroke. By havin the exhaust-ports 14 comparatively large a freeescape is provided for the spent medium, thereby minimizing theresistance from this source. The inletpassages 12 are closed at one endand are open at the opposite end to communicate with the pipe 15, bymeans of which the motive medium is supplied to the engine. Theexhaust-passages 11 are closed at one end and are open at the oppositeend and in communication with the pipe 16 by means of which the exhaustis conveyed to the suitable point of discharge.

In the construction of the engine there isa definite relation betweenthe pistons, inlet, and exhaust-ports, and the clutch mechanism betweenthe pistons, hub, and cylinder to insure an alternate movement of thepiston-rings and attached pistons and the opening and closing of theports in alternation, whereby the piston-rings receive a step-bystepmovement in successive order, the pistons of one ring forming relativelyfixed abutments, while the pistons of the other ring are driven forward,and so on in alternation.

So far as the scope of the invention is concerned it is immaterial whichof the parts is stationary and which movable. In the drawings the hub isstationary and is mounted in bearings 17, whereas the cylinder 8 isrotatable and the power is taken therefrom for driving the machinery tobe operated. Obviously by making the cylinder stationary the hub becomesthe movable part and the power may be taken therefrom in any approvedmanner for driving any mechanism to be mechanically operated. V

The motive medium may be steam, compressed air, water, or other agentcommonly employed for operating engines. A single comprise a workingengine, inwhich case the momentum of a fly-wheel or other part of theengine is utilized to carry one of the pistonrings forward from thepoint of exhaust to the point for receiving themotive agent. The bestresults are obtained by having the engine comprise a number of pairs ofpiston rings. As illustrated, the engine comprises two pairs or sets ofpiston-rings. Within the purview of the invention the engine maycomprise any number or pairs of piston-rings arranged in successiveoperation, thereby obviating the formation of a dead-center and enablingthe engine to be started from any point of rest without the interventionof eX- traneous means. In the preferable type of engine the hub isstationary and the cylinder rotatable and two or more pairs ofpistonrings and adjunctive parts are provided and disposed to overlap oroperate in succession.

As shown in Fig. 3, the cylinder 8 occupies a position with reference tothe hub and the piston-ring 2, showing the dogs or clutch elements 6 inthe act of releasing the pistons 4 from the cylinder and about to enterthe seats or grooves 18 of the hub so as to interlock therewith and holdthe pistons 4 sta tionary while the pistons 5 are driven forward adistance corresponding to the predetermined stroke of the pistons. WVhenthe pistons 4 become clutched or locked to the hub, they form fixedabutments, and the pistons 5 are driven forward by the motive mediumpassing between the pistons 4 and 5 from the inlet-passages through theports 13. Fig. 4 shows the position of the parts when the piston-ring 3has moved forward a distance to bring the pistons 5 in contact with thepistons 4. Fig. 5 shows the pistons in such a position as to uncover theinlet and exhaust ports, and Fig. 6 shows said ports uncovered by thepistons during which period one set of pistons must be carried forwardeither by the momentum of the engine or by the pistons of the setpositively driven when the engine comprises a number of pairs ofpistons. The seats or grooves 9 are beveled upon their rear walls, andthe outer rear corners of the dogs or clutch elements 6 are pair ofpiston-rings and adjunctive parts may IIO seams correspondingly beveled.The front walls of the grooves or seats 18 are forwardly beveled, andthe inner front corners of the parts 6 are correspondingly beveled.Hence said dogs or clutch elements are positively moved inward andoutward by a wedging action due to the beveled, inclined, or camportions riding upon each other, as will be readily comprehended. henthe outer ends of the dogs are seated in the grooves 9,- the inner endsare riding upon the portion of the hub between the grooves or seats 18,and as said inner ends register with the grooves 18 they are forcedtherein by the riding of the outer beveled or cam ends of the dogs uponthe beveled or cam sides of the seats 9. When the pistons previously atrest are driven forward, the inner ends of the dogs 6 are forced fromthe grooves or seats 18 into the grooves or seats 9, and the pistonspreviously driven forward become stationary for the instant to receivethe back pressure of the motive medium while the pistons just releasedare urged forward. The engine is driven by a succession of impulses dueto the step-bystep movement of the piston, as herein described.

In the construction shown in Figs. 12 and 13 the clutch elements areapplied to the piston-ring and are of such formation as to grip the huband cylinder in the well-known manner to effect the results hereinstated. The clutch elements, as shown, consist of rollers 6, fitted intoseats 19, which have one face square and the other inclined to reducethe space and compel the elements 6 to grip either the hub or cylinderby a wedging action in the well-known manner. WVhen the piston-ringmoves forward the outer clutch elements 6 engage with the cylinder andcarry the same forward; but when the pistons of one ring impact againstthe pistons of the other or companion piston-rings the advancing ordriving piston-ring is arrested and it becomes disengaged from thecylinder and clutches or grips the hub so as to hold the pistonsstationary while forming fixed a-but ments to receive the back pressureof the motive medium as the pistons previously stationary are advanced.It is to be understood that two piston-rings are provided and that eachis similarly equipped, the operation being substantially the same asthat herein described, the only difference being in the formation andadaptation of the clutch elements.

The piston-rings 2 and 3 are of a' size to snugly fit the space betweenthe hub and cylider, so as to divide said space for the sepa rate setsof pistons and to close the ends thereof, as shown most clearly in Figs.1 and 2. The pistons project laterally from the respective rings and arein the plane thereof, the inner and outer surfaces coming flush with therespective inner and outer edges thereof,

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is* 1. Anengine of the rotary type comprising a hub and cylinder concentricallyarr nged, pistons located in the space formed between the hub andcylinder and adapted to be driven in alternation, means for admittingand exhausting the motive agent, clutch elements for alternatelyconnecting the pistons to the hub and cylinder, means for positivelydisconnecting the clutch elements from either the hub or cylinder and atthe same time causing them to engage with the opposite part, and ringsfor the respective pistons closing the space formed between the hub andcylinder, substantially as set forth.

2. An engine of the rotary type comprising a hub and cylinderconcentrically arranged, sets of pistons located in the space formedbetween the hub and cylinder, the pistons of each set being adapted tobe driven in alternation, means for admitting and exhausting the motiveagent, clutch elements movable with reference to the pistons and of alength to project beyond the same so as to engage with either thecylinder or hub to make interlocking connection therewith, and ringscarrying the pistons of the respective sets and adapted to divide thespace formed between the hub and cylinder and to close said space at itsends, substantially as set forth.

3. In combination, a,cylinder, a hollow hub concentric therewith andsubdivided into a plurality of passages which are closed at oppositeends in alternation to form inlets and outlets, which communicate withthe space formed between the hub and cylinder by means of openings inthe Walls or sides of the hub, pistons arranged to travel in the spaceformed between the hub and cylinder, and clutch elements applied to thepistons for alternately connecting them to the hub and cylinder,substantially as specified.

4. A rotary engine comprising a cylinder,

a hollow hub concentric therewith and sub-- divided longitudinally intoa plurality of passages which are closed at opposite ends in alternationand form inlets and outlets having communication with the space formedbetween the hub and cylinder by means of openings formed in the sides orwalls of the hub, a head closing one end of the cylinder and formed withthe hub, a head closing the opposite end of the cylinder and threadedupon the hub, rings arranged within the space formed between the hub andcylinder and subdividing the same and touching the walls of said partsat their respective opposite edges, pistons projectedlaterally fromcorresponding rings, the pistons of one set of rings being alternatelydisposed with reference to the pistons of the corresponding set ofrings,

clutch elements applied to the pistons for In testimonywhereof I afliXmy signatiir conrllectilrllg hthtem allteinationdto, -respcin presenceof two Witnesses.

tive y, t e u an 0 in er, an means? or supplying the motive medium toone end of EDWARD WEEKS 5 the hub and carrying ofl the medium fromWitnesses:

.the oppositeend ofthe-hub after it has spent l LORENZO LEE,

its feree, substantiallyas setvforth. JOSE]? VEIT.

